Gearing for washing machines



June 17, 1930.

J. ROCKE GEARQING, FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed July 15 BY 20 A TGHNEYE Patented June 17, 1930 h UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN IROCKE, OF BLOOMING'ION, ILLINOIS GEARING FOR W'ASHING MACHINES Application filed July 15, 1926. Serial 110,122,558.

This invention relates to gearing for washtor 15, securely attached to the framing of ing machines, and more particularly to the washer, and driving a pulley 16 through means for adjusting said gearing to compenthe belt member 17. A worm 18 has power sate for wear or discrepancies that might transmitted thereto directly from the pulley,

arise in manufacture, and said worm meshing with the worm gear One of the objects of the invention is in 19 operates to rotate the stub shaft 20, which the provision of driving mechanism for carries a crank member 21 of well known dewashing machines, wherein there is included i Pi mH tt h d as t 22, t th gearing of the Worm and gear type, there crank member, is the rack bar 23, which ing also provided a Special means f r completes the power connection between justing the worm with respect to the Worm d i gear 14 and the crank arm tgear, 130 COIllPGIlSEltG f0! wear, as as to jng obvigusly to agitate the driven gear, provide for an efficient meshing of said gear d t it v i ti members. j i The present application is directed partic- Another ehleet 13 1n the p i h of a ularly to the manner of adjusting the worm Simple and efiieieht means for l g the 18 with respect to the worm gear 19, and in Position of a Worm and Worm gear, Which Fi s. 2 and 3 of the drawin s, there have are included in the Power driving meehe' bee n shown enlarged details of these por nism of a washing machine-i tions the same not a) carin in detail in Other objects will appear in the following Fig 7 1p b specification, taken in connection with the pv respect to the Worm and gear i' w 1n nection, it might be stated that this manner elevatlon of a Washmg of transmitting power is well known, but

95 i i if g g t g j broken away for without some means provided for varying a i e 130 the position of the worm with respect to the 2 13.2w enlarged i 1n f of i worm gear, under some circumstances, we special ad ustment mechanism bQL-WQQH tne will Say Wear or defective manufacture, com

r and.worm bear siderable noise attends the movement oi Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the parts u m j 9 hown in Fi 2 3; f f 1 ICLlll? a ter inuc 1 ex erimentation Refernng to the drawings there 15 Shown in a t emptiri to overcome thi; undesirable in Fi l a washin machine of a t e Whereb e yp noise, devised the present means tor varying in an a itatormember 10 is disposed in the bottom hf a tub 11, said agitator being driven the posltlon of h Worm Wlth respect to the worm gear. It is true that varying of the lf 2't" by a veltlcdny dlsposed Sm t 1 Plojec mg position of worm gears with respect to 'tl" h 'n he bottom of the gg gl gg ggg j i g A driven worms has been heretofore accomplished, but

gear 14 is fixedly attached to the lower end applicant has e not only e simple of the vertical shaft and is adapted to he means for attalhlhg the result des1red hut reciprocated by the hereinafter described alsf) one Whereih the adjustment y he driving mechanism uickly and readily effected, and by persons It might be stated at this time that as far other h these h e in meehahies- This as the washing machine is concerned, the meehahlsm fer edlhshlhg the Worm lheludes presentdriving and gearing mechanism is the fellowlhg Ftrhethre:

adapted to be used upon any type of washing The g r lng 24: S rrounds the worm and 9 machine, wherein the washing element is a g r- The worm shaft- 25 pro ects through member adapted to be reciprocated. that part of the casing 24 which provides the Again, with respect to the special driving supports for the bearing members for the and gearing mechanism disclosed herein, worm, such pro ecting portion being desigthere appears the well known electric monated 26, to which is fixedly attached the pulley 16, the latter being driven as heretofore described.

The worm is supported at one side in a bearing 27 of the oilless type and composed of bakelite impregnated with graphite. A felt washer is shown at 28, there being a steel washer 29 pressed into the end of the bearing support 30. The actual worm, as stated before, is designated as 18 and meshes with the before-mentioned worm gear 19. A ball hearing is shown at 31, disposed in a manner to take up the thrust of the worm. The oppo site end of the worm shaft 25 is also supported in an oilless bearing made of. the composition bakelite impregnated with graphite, the support for this oilless bearing being shown at 33. The support 33, at this end, is made adjustable in order to vary he position of the worm with respect to the worm gear. This adjustment is effected in, the following manner. The bearing support 33, as may be clearly seen in Fig. 2, is movable in a direction towards the worm gear a slight distance, unless restricted. Means for restricting this movement in an adjustable manner is accomplished by supporting the end of the bearing and the worm shaft in the cap 34, capable of slightly varied positioning with respect to the gear casing 24. This varied positioning may be seen perhaps most clearly in Fig. 3. The cap is connected to the casing by three bolts, designated 35, which bolts are threaded into receiving portions in the gear casing. The apertures in the cap 34:, however, through which the bolts project, are slightly larger than the bodies of the bolts, therefore permitting a degree of adjustment of the cap member with respect to said bolts. An adjustment screw 36 is threaded into that part of the gear casing surrounding the worm in a manner to force the bearing support 33, and therefore the worm, towards the worm gear 19. A look nut 37 is provided to fixedly position the ad justment member 36.

Vith respect to the operation of the adjustment mechanism above described, it is thought clear that said adjustment of the worm with respect to the worm gear is effected by loosening the bolts 35, then turning the screw 36 to move the worm to the desired position with respect to the worm gear, and thereafter tightening the bolts 35 in a manner to securely position the cap with respect to the gear casing and therefore the worm, with respect to the worm gear.

In the actual manufacture of this mechanism, the structure is so designed that the worm normally assumes the correct position with respect to the worm gear without the necessity of adjustment of the screw 36. However, in'case of wear on the gears, and the necessity of moving the worm closer into engagement with the worm gear, it is merely necessary, as above stated, to loosen the bolts, make the adjustment, and the-reafter tlghten the bolts. The actual ad ustment is never so pronounced as to cause any damage to the bearing 25 by moving the shaft slightly out of line.

It may be seen from the above that not only an efficient, but a simple, mechanism has been devised to overcome any noise that might attend the improper meshing of the worm and gear, and this mechanism not only readily accessible, but readily and quickly adjusted.

What I claim is:

In gearing for washing machines or the like, a worm gear and a driving worm therefor, a worm and gear casing, an aperture in said casing, a cap member .provided with a bushing for supporting the worm shaft, said bushing projecting freely into said aperture, an adjusting screw engaging the bushing to vary its position within the aperture, and means for fixedly connecting the cap memher to the casing in the position set by the adjusting screw, comprising bolt members passing through holes in the cap and into the casing, the bodies of the bolt members having smaller diameters than the holes in the cap.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

JOHN ROCKE. 

